Clarissa Carter
The Honourable Clarissa Carter was a student of the North Tower, and in Darrell's form. Her best friend is Bill and her beloved horse is Merrylegs. She is horse-mad just like Bill and adores her horse. Appearance and personality She was originally said to have an ugly wire around her teeth and wore thick glasses, but after she got them off, she was said to be really pretty, with beautiful green eyes, white teeth and auburn hair. In Upper-fourth at Malory Towers, she was said to be meek and weak, obeying Gwen always. She was rather sympathetic too. She was kind and fair and eager-to-please. She had a rather low opinion of herself, and was frightened of the other girls. But she has blossomed under Bill, creating a strong friendship with her. Her natural personality came to the fore, and she became a responsible young woman. History Clarissa joined Malory Towers in the upper fourth. She had a seat bagged for her by Gwendoline in the front row. Alicia knew Gwen was sitting there to suck up to Clarissa. But, in front of the class, she merely stated that Gwen had a very 'honourable' reason. Clarissa came at tea time. Gwen thought she looked very ugly, but still turned on her sweet voice for her. Clarissa said she couldn't do any rigorous activities like swimming because of her weak heart. Gwen wished she had a weak heart too to escape swimming and walks. Clarissa did not like to have a weak heart. She soon became Gwen's close friend, and Gwen began poisoning her mind against the other girls. She told Clarissa of their disgraces and scared Clarissa. Darrell, head of the form at that time, knew what Gwen was doing but could hardly do anything against it. When the entire form decided to go for a picnic, Clarissa and Gwen skipped it and went over to Clarissa's Nanny's house. Gwen was glad of an excuse to skip the climb and swim. They got some leftover tea for a midnight feast Later, when Darrell was in disgrace, Gwen pretended to sympathize with her, but came over to Clarissa and bad-mouthed her. This made Clarissa upset, and she had nearly been in tears when she sympathized with Darrell. She rushed out in tears and stuck up a good friendship with Miss Peters and Bill. As Sally commented later, Gwen looked like 'a dying duck in a thunderstorm' as she watched the two girls yammer away about horses. Before half-term, Gwen asked Clarissa to mention her weak heart to her mother and governess. She said she would say so herself, if she didn't want to make such a fuss about it. She had lied to Clarissa about her false weak heart, and Clarissa had sympathized with her. But during half-term, when Gwendoline said such thumping lies about herself to her mother and governess, Clarissa suddenly realized she was lying about her heart too. She couldn't bring herself to mention it. This was the abrupt end to the girls' one-sided friendship. Later on that day, she went for a picnic with Bill and her people. The next day, Clarissa's nanny arrived in a rundown car and a scarf tied around her face. Gwen saw her and thought with a sneer that she was glad she wasn't Clarissa's friend anymore.